Suspended ceiling structure



April 9, 1957 J. SYLVAN SUSPENDED CEILING STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Nov. 23 1955 INVENTOR.

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SUSPENDED CEILING STRUCTURE Filed N02. 25, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOSE-PHJ7 HA April 9, 1957 JfsYLvAN SUSPENDED CEILING STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Filed Nov 25, 1955 l lr v IN V EN TOR.

5% a/ w a SUSPENDED CEILlNG STRUCTURE Joseph Sylvan, Latln'up Village,Mich.

Application November 23, 1955, Serial No. 548,638

1 Claim. (Cl. 20-4) This invention relates to animprovedceilingstructure for buildings.

An object of the invention is the provision of alightweight ceilingwhich may be installed below the roof framework or below the floor joistframework of the superjacent floor both quickly and efliciently, andwhich, because of its light Weight, will reduce the necessary amount ofsuch overhead framework below that which is normally required to supporta conventional ceiling composed of plaster and lath, and thereby effecta substantial saving in the cost of such framework. Once my, improvedceiling is installed there is no upkeep cost, and no painting thereof isrequired.

Another object of the invention-is the provision of a States Patentceiling structure suspended from the, overheadframework of a buildingand comprising a plurality of lightweight metal panels formed, forexample, of sheet aluminum or an alloy thereof, and so fastened togetherand suspended from such overhead framework that the panels may shiftrelative to one another, thereby providing a ceiling structure that willnot warp or buckle under temperature changes and which, in effect,floats beneath the overhead framework of the building.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a suspended metalceiling formed of a plurality of metal panels, of self-supportingstiffening ribs which'function not only to stiffen the ceiling andensure registry of the meeting edges of the panels, but also providemeans to which hangers may be connected for suspending the'ceiling fromthe overhead framework of the building, orto which light fixtures may beattached for suspension below the ceiling. I

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a suspendedlightweight metal ceiling comprising a plurality of co-planar panelssuspended by novel hangers from the overhead framework of the buildingfor shiftable movement in horizontal planes relative to each other, andwherein certain of the hangers are flexible to permit such shiftablemovement between the panels, and wherein certain other of the hangersare rigid to prevent displacement of the entire ceiling as a unitrelative to the overhead framework and walls of the building.

Other objects, advantages, and meritorious features will more fullyappear from the specification, claim, and accompanying drawing, wherein:I

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective top-view of a ceiling embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line "3-3 of Fig. l v

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective. view looking up at the ceiling;

Fig. 6 is a: top fragmentary perspective view showing the manner inwhich'the'ceilingmeets :thewall of the building along the longitudinaledge of the ceiling panels;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view through one of the panelhold-down pads;and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of a modified ceiling hanger.

My improved ceiling includes a plurality of panels 10 which may be, andare preferably, formed of sheet aluminum, or a lightweight alloythereof, with the panels arranged in a regular matching pattern andjoined together and suspended in a novel manner from an overhead supportor framework 12 of the building 13 in which the ceiling is installed. Myimproved ceilingfis particularly adapted for suspension from the metalframework of a building supporting the roof or superjacent floor, and inthe drawings is shownas being suspended from such a framework. Becausemy ceiling is substantially lighter than a conventional plaster and lathceiling, the. size of the members comprising the overhead framework maybe correspondingly reduced thereby effecting a substantial saving in thecost of such framework. Because the panels are formed of aluminum, theywill not rust and do not require painting, and in addition will serve toreflect the heat from-both sides of the ceiling and thereby act as athermal insulator.

The panels 10 may be of similar size and shape. In the drawings they areshown as rectangularly shaped, and this is preferable when a room of anygreat size isbeing constructed. The panels may be anywhere from six feetor less to more than fourteen feet in length and nearly two feet inwidth. They may be formed of standard available, size aluminum sheetingof .032 gaugealuminum.

The longitudinal edges of each panel, as distinguished from thelaterally extending opposite ends, are turned up to form resilientflanges 14 and 16 as-shown in Fig. 2. The flange 14 is inclined at anobtuse angle Awith respect to its panel and at the edge of such flangeis. folded as at 18 to overlie the top of flange 16. A longitudinallyextending stiffeningrib 2% or 22 is disposed in. abutment with flange 16and underlies the folded upper lip 24 of flange 16 to be secured theretoby nails or the like 25.

The stiffening ribs 243 and 22 may be formed of wood and serve to aid inthe prevention of sagging of the panels. Rib 22 is of a greater widththan rib 20 for the purpose of providing a support to which a lightfixture channel 26 may be secured as by means of nails or screws 28.

The longitudinal edges of the panels 10 at opposite sides of the room inwhich the ceiling is installed are supported as shown in Fig. 2. Theflange 16 of the panel at the left side of Fig. 2 is cut away and theremaining edge of the panel rests upon the molding 30 at the upper edgeof the lath 32 and plaster 34 of the wall. An angle strip or tensioningpad 36, nailed as at 38 to wall elements 40 of the building wall,overlies the panel-and holds and tensions the same downwardly againstthe molding 30. A trim molding 42 may be nailed asat 44 to molding 30 tocover the joint and give a finished appearance. It will be noted that aspace is left between the edge of the panel and the wall element 46, andit is Within this space that the panel may expand and contract laterallyin response to temperature changes. 'At the opposite longitudinal edgeof the ceiling shown at'the right hand side of Fig. 2, the flange 16'overlies the .wall

elements 40 with that portion of the panel adjacent the flange restingupon molding 3i Opposite ends or lateral edges'of theceiling, asdistinguished from the longitudinal edges, are supported at the walls ofthe room or building structure in which the ceiling is suspended, in themanner shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Such edges of the panels rest upon themolding 30 and lengths of angle pads or tension members '46 are nailedor otherwise secured to the wall 'elementslll to the hanger.

overlie the panels between the flanges thereof and hold the panels downagainst the molding 30.

To suspend the panels from the overhead framework of the building, Ihave provided a plurality of hangers which are connected at their lowerends to the panels and at their upper ends to the framework. Thesehangers are of metal, for example aluminum, and serve to ground theceiling to the framework and prevent establishment of an electricpotential therebetween. In each ceiling there are two different types ofhangers, the wire hangers 50 and the rigid hangers 52, each of which isshown respectively in Figs. 2 and 3, with a modified form of hanger 52shown in Fig. 8 at 54-. Hangers 52 serve to carry the greater proportionof the weight of the ceiling and prevent swaying of the entire ceiling.The hangers 50 are adapted to prevent sagging of the ceilingintermediate hangers 52 while still permitting shifting of the panelsrelative to each other and relative to and between the hangers 52.

Hangers 52 are generally T-shaped with the head portion 54 underlyingthe meeting ends of the panels, as distinguished from the longitudinaledges, with the body portion of the T shape extending upwardly betweensuch ends and rig-idly connected at the top to the framework 12 of thebuilding. More specifically, the hangers 52 are formed of two pieces ofaluminum or light metal sheets 56 and 58 which are secured together asby rivets or the like 69. Both sheets are bent laterally at the top toform flanges 62 and 64 which stiflen the hanger against lateral bending.Sheet 58 is bent outwardly away from sheet 56 just above rivets 60 toform with sheet 56 an eyebolt-receiving channel 66, within which arereceived, at spaced apart intervals, eyebolts or the like 68. A bolt 70extends between the sides of channel 66, through the eye of bolt 68, andupon tightening rigidly holds the eyebolt within the channel. The upperend of the eyebolt is threaded and received through the framework 12with nuts 72 overlying and underlying the framework to rigidly securethe eyebolt to the framework. With the eyebolts rigidly connected to theframework 12, and with the channel 66 securely fastened to the lower endof the bolts, the head portion 54 of the'hanger is held against swayingbeneath the framework and forms a solid support for the panels.

The head portion 54 of hanger 52 is formed by bending the sheets 56 and58 outwardly away from each other and then upwardly to form upwardlyopening channels with'a stiffening rib 74 received in each of thechannels. The meeting ends of the panels rest upon the upper edges ofthe outer walls of the rib-receiving channels and upon the libs therein.It will be noted that the meeting ends of the panels are spaced from thesheets 56 and 58 as at 76 and this permits the panels to shift relativeto the hanger.

On opposite sides of the hanger are means for tensioning the panelsdownwardly against the head portion of Such means comprise generallyL-shaped members 78 which, before installation and tightening on thehanger, are of a cross sectional shape shown in the 1 solid outline inFig. 7. The two angularly related portions of members 78 are formed atan obtuse angle .therebetween. The members are installed on the hangersby means of bolts or the like 80 and the members are sprung to theposition shown in the dotted outline of Fig. 7 or as shown in Fig. 3.With the members so secured ,to the hanger they serve to tension thepanels downwardlyagainst the ribs 74 and prevent any undesirablelooseness between the hanger and the panels. However, the downwardtensioning of members 78 is not so great'as to prevent shifting of thepanels in a horizontal plane relative to the hangers, which shifting maybe zontal misalignment of the overhead building framework.

The hangers 50 are formed of aluminum wire or the like'and are extendedover the framework 12 at their upper ends and wound upon themselves toeffect the se curement of the hangers to the framework. The lower end ofeach wire is passed through provided apertures in the flanges 14 and 16and through the stiffening ribs 20 and 22 and thereafter wrapped uponitself to secure the lower end of each hanger to the ceiling panels. Theloop 82 formed in the lower end of each hanger 50 serves to tie flanges14 and 16 of adjacent panels together and yet permit limited shifting ofthe panels in horizontal planes. Vertical shifting of the panelsrelative to each other is, however, prevented by the loops. The hangers50 prevent sagging of the panels intermediate the hangers 52 and thewalls of the building. The hangers also serve to ground the panels tothe overhead framework as mentioned in connection with hangers 52.

The T-shaped head portion 54 of the hangers 52 are cut away as at 84 inFig. 5 to permit the downwardly opening light fixture channels 26 toextend at right angles to the hangers 52. The panel-hold-down means 78,shown in Figs. 1 and 3, may be of a length to fit between the upstandingflanges at opposite sides of the panels.

It will be noted that the means 78 and head portion 54 of each hanger 52cooperates to form oppositely opening horizontally extendingpanel-receiving channels extending throughout the length of the hangersand interrupted only where the flanges 14 and 16 intercept the hangers52. It will also be noted that the uppermost side wall of said channelsis tensioned toward the opposite side wall to grippingly engage the endof a panel received therebetween,

The modification 55 of hanger 52 is shown in Fig. 8 and is generallysimilar to hanger 52 in that it is T-shaped in cross section. The bodyportion proper of hanger 55 is, however, formed of one piece andprovided with detents or a locking land 86 on opposite sides and underwhich the upper edge of the tensioning means 78 is received to urge thepanels 10 downwardly against the head portion 88 of the hanger. Thebolts tension the angle members 78 inwardly toward the hanger. The headportion 88 of the hanger is of heavier gauge metal than the metalforming the head of hanger 52 and therefore the stiffening ribs 74 shownin connection with hanger 52 are not provided in hanger 55 at the headportion.

Because the panels 10 are formed of light-weight aluminum the panels areflexible. The means for suspending the panels, including the stiifeningribs, are peculiarly well suited for suspending large panels of flexiblealuminum sheets without warping or sagging of the sheets whilepermitting limited relative shifting of the panels under the influenceof temperature changes or slight settling of the building.

Because each of the marginal panels of the ceiling is yieldingly grippedalong the walls of the room or build- .ing wherein the ceiling isinstalled, and because all of the panels are yieldingly gripped at themeeting end edges by hangers 52 or 55, and because the longitudinaledges of the panels are tensioned apart by obtuse flange 14, the panelswill not rattle upon sudden pressure changes in the room when doors intothe room in which the ceiling is suspended are suddenly opened orclosed. Because the panels are flexible they will deflect sound towardthe walls of the building or room in which the ceiling is suspended andwill notdeflect sound directly down toward the floor. Because of thisacoustic materials need not be applied to the ceiling to dampen soundwaves striking it.

It will be noted from the various figures of the drawing that the edgesof the planar faces of the panels at the margin of the ceiling arespaced from the walls of the room to permit expansion of the ceiling atthe walls both laterally and longitudinally.

Because the improved ceiling hereiuabove described may be formed ofrelatively large panels, with means for suspending the panels which arereadily attachable to the overhead framework of the building and towhich the panels themselves may be readily secured, the ceiling may beinstalled very rapidly and without highly skilled labor.

What I claim is:

In a ceiling structure for suspension below the overhead framework of abuilding: a plurality of lightweight metal panels having opposite edgesupturned to form upstanding flanges with the panels arranged in coplanar relationship and with said flanges in abutment, one flange ofeach abutting pair of flanges being inclined at an obtuse angle withrespect to its panel and having a lip portion along the free edgeoverlying the upstanding edge of the abutting flange on the, adjacentpanel with the inclined flange spacing the panels apart adjacent theirfaces to permit limited relative shifting of the panels, a stiffeningrib member extending longitudinally over'a face of each panel and inabutment with the other flange of each pair of abutting flanges andconnected thereto, and Wire hangers extended at their lower ends throughand secured to the flanges and stiffening rib member of each pair ofabutting flanges and connected at their upper ends to the overheadframework of the building to suspend the panels in spaced relationshiptherebelow.

Re'erences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,101,952 Olsen Dec. 14, 1937 2,153,320 Venzie Apr. 4, 1939 2,309,685Droeger Feb. 2, 1943 2,648,102 Jacobson Aug. 11, 1953

